I've made a lot of pants starting from the tail end of 2023, til now. I've enjoyed sewing every single one, and even when the construction gets samey. Most of them have rigid waistbands, carefully fitted to my current waist measurement. One of my primary concerns is if I'll be the same size in five years and if I can no longer wear them, rendering my hard work useless in the long term. That's why I want to include more pants with adjustable waists beyond a simple elastic band. I got a good start with the Papao Pants by Readytosew, with their wrap-style closure — a fun departure from my regular styles and construction methods. They're an interesting marriage between bohemian and structured and I don't have anything like it in my existing wardrobe.
I cut a size 34 hips and used RTS's guide to grade to a size 39 waist. I appreciate the inclusion of the half-sizes to help narrow down an accurate fit. The body measurements are so thoroughly meticulous that they include increments down to 1/64 of an inch, which is probably a little excessive, but I respect it. When I was trying the pants on while I was still assembling, I thought they looked entirely too big, but the end product fits well with the right amount of ease. The leg is supposed to be cropped and people typically need to add length to cover their ankles; I'm shorter than what the pattern drafts for so I just left the hem where it was. People should consider widening the calf and ankle because during the try-on it felt tight enough that I might need that adjustment, even though ultimately I did not.
For the next pair, I'm going to shorten the rise. I thought it was long to account for the intended drop-crotch, but on me it's really not that that low. Instead the waist just wears incredibly high, which is a deliberate design choice, so I need to correct that for my own comfort. I want to change the front pocket bag as well. I deepened it once already, thinking it was too shallow, but the issue is actually the shape. Its deepest part leans towards the side seam but when I stick my hand in, it naturally wants to reach towards the center of the leg. I understand it seems like such a minor thing but I really do find it disruptive, to reach into the pocket and find my hand is diverted because it can't sink directly downwards.
Papao's design, while clever, is a tad over-engineered. There are two long ties that both wrap all the way around the waist, meaning the wearer is essentially wearing two belts stacked directly on top of each other. They create too much bulk combined with the folded layers at the front. Other wrap-style garments have only one tie wrap around while the other remains at the front for fastening. It's possible to wear Papao like this, and I've seen someone replace the front tie with a D-ring buckle, so having it circle the waist isn't strictly necessary for secure wearing. That's why I think the original design is a bit cumbersome for no reason. The pants are (comparatively) hard to put on, which in my opinion is a bigger deterrent when getting dressed in the morning than mere discomfort.
(Update 6/28/2025: Installed a slide buckle and cut the ties shorter to make fastening easier. Note for next time: make the long tie partially elasticated for even greater comfort).
Admittedly the above issues were exacerbated by my poor fabric choice; it turns out 8 ounce twill is simply too heavy for this pattern. The waist ties are too thick and stiff to make a satisfying knot without it being bulky, and there are the aforementioned double belts and four additional layers sitting on the belly. There are places where the fabric doesn't sit flat because of all the layers of fabric sandwiched in the seams. So, in short, use something lighter than 8 ounces!
I read a tip about making the pants easier to put by adding more belt loops than just the one in the back. They really help to manage the VERY LONG, tripping hazards waist ties. I added two extra. There's one directly on the left side seam and one more towards the front on the right side, avoiding the right side seam because that's where the side tie exits. I would also suggest cutting the belt loop wider than the pattern piece provided (labelled piece L). Without the seam allowance I found that the loop was nearly exactly the same width as my waist ties, which is not ideal because you need some clearance to allow the ties to pass through easily. Also, to make it easier I just serged the edges and folded them inwards instead of sewing two loops together and turning them, as instructed.
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| It's also possible that I over-pressed the waist tie and it ended up wider than the designer intended. The slits in the side seams are also narrower than the ties, suggesting that I indeed did over-press. |
If my overview of Papao seems nitpicky, that's because it honestly is, but any issues present are ones that can be easily fixed. I believe they are worth adjusting for which is why I made note of them in the first place. Overall I enjoy the pants I ended up, they fit well and they look accurate to the designer's samples. I have no complaints whatsoever about the instructions. The pattern is listed as a confident, patient beginner's pattern because there is quite a lot to sink your teeth into, but none of the many steps are outright difficult to understand or execute. This is a great pattern to practice on, but it's also nice to have if you're not actively trying to build skill and if you just want some cool pants with a flexible, easy-to-fit waist measurement.
Notes/Summary:
- 39 waist, 34 hips
- Widened belt loop, added more belt loops
- Will shorten rise next time
- Will change pocket shape
- Will alter closure style
- Fabric must be lighter than 8 ounces
The pattern calls for 2.4 yards of fabric for my size range but I was able to eke out with only 2 yards. This wouldn't have been possible had I chose to lengthen the legs at all. I was left with a 30 x 32 inch remnant, which I then turned into a Davis Crossbody Vest, by Elbe Textiles. It's a fashioned-up take on the fanny-pack-over-one-shoulder trend, with a little pocket for the barest of essentials. It's my brother's Christmas present this year, and yes I did make him yet another thing in this shade of brown.
I don't have much to say about the pattern itself as I didn't look at the instructions. I received a tip about not printing every piece because the lining pieces are identical to the shells but mirrored, so I will relay that information here. But personally I got nothing to report; I made enough changes that the instructions couldn't help me if I needed them. Even so, you can intuit how to put it together without assistance if you've ever sewn a sleeveless bodice. The only technique that might challenge a newbie would be the zippered internal pocket, I suppose, although it's nothing anyone should be afraid of. It's a handy technique to learn! Overall, the pattern is far simpler than its intermediate difficulty rating would imply.
The vest is supposed to be lined but as I didn't have any lining fabric that I liked, I finished every raw edge with bias tape. Now, this is an example of how doing more work and spending more time can actually result in an inferior product. A lining creates a nicer, cleaner looking finish with less effort and fewer lines of stitching, both visible and concealed. It's not as if I regret doing it the way I did; the vest is no less functional in this state and taking the long way home is not a problem if the point is to enjoy the process. Just, not during the holidays when I've got a deadline and no time to smell the roses.
The original design has an interior welt pocket with an exposed zipper. It's aesthetically sleek, but not the most practical because it's too flat and not spacious enough. I took the pocket pattern and turned it into an exterior cargo pocket for some dimension and extra capacity. Normally it would only be able to fit a phone and some cards, now it can fit a phone and a whole wallet! Which is still not very much at all, but if you need to carry anything more you should just use a real bag, not this layering piece. Or keep adding more pockets until all your things do fit, that's also an option.
Notes/Summary:
- Block 3 size C
- Omitted lining, finished raw edges with bias tape
- External cargo pocket instead of internal pocket
I got this circular carabiner clip because I liked the hanging D-ring in the original design but wanted something more versatile. Here comes another impromptu hardware review, like I did for those drawstring toggles: get bigger ones than 28mm in diameter. These are too small. Or get a different shape, whatever. The point is, the clip is not optimal and efficient in ease of use.
When you open it up, the hinged piece is too short and the opening is small enough that your thumb gets in the way. If you want to hook things onto it, you have to go out of your way to angle your thumb just right. Sure, you can push your key ring into the carabiner directly but then you still have to use your thumb to get the key ring back out.
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